DIANA
June 27: National HIV Testing Day
June 27, 2008: National HIV Testing Day
National HIV Testing Day is an annual event that aims to communicate the importance of knowing one's HIV status and to encourage at-risk individuals to get tested. The Eighth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival's award-winning documentary short, Diana, highlights both the liberating quality of awareness and the unfortunate lack of adequate discussion, especially among youths, on the topic of HIV/AIDS. Likewise, the Seventh Annual Media That Matters Film Festival's documentary short Ashray, the Third Annual Media That Matters Film Festival's documentary short Luv Me Latex, and the Fourth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival's documentary short Ithemba, deal with similar themes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that, of the approximately one million HIV positive Americans, roughly 25,000 are unaware that they are infected. National HIV Testing Day encourages all individuals who feel that they may be at risk of infection to seek testing at any of their state and local health departments, health fairs, community-based HIV service providers, or HIV testing sites. Such testing provides people who test negative with pertinent information to help them remain uninfected and instructs people who test positive on the steps that they can take to protect the health of their loved ones and themselves. On June 27th, National HIV Testing Day organizers throughout the United States will also reach out to and strive to educate specific demographic groups which are most statistically affected by HIV/AIDS.
By, Christina Capatides
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